Inside a bright green building on Church Street in Halifax, Stacey Gomez sits at her desk, working on the computer. His house is quiet, full of art and plants. Outside, workers sawed and hammered.
Gomez is one of the last people left in the seven-unit building. In March, all tenants were handed a form known as DR5, asking them to leave to make renovations, and many complied.
Gomez did not sign the form. She said she believes her owner, Marcus Ranjbar, is trying to “renovate” her for minor repairs and renovations, and she stands firm.
“I really love my place and I don’t want to leave,” said Gomez, who has lived in the building since 2017. “I think it would be hard for me to find a comparable place in this area … or even on the peninsula .
“I’m worried it will have a significant impact on my life if I have to move.”
Gomez says it looks like most of the work is being done outside the building and does not warrant a renovation. (Robert Short / CBC)
A renovation occurs when a landlord forces residents to leave a building so that it can be renovated and then rented to new tenants for substantially higher prices.
Nova Scotia’s renewal ban ended on March 21 this year when the provincial state of emergency was lifted. The building permit for Gómez’s home was issued on 13 January.
On the permit, repairs are included as “floor, trim, plinth, paint, fittings, siding.” It notes that there will be no structural changes or demolition, and the new cladding will be installed on top of the old cladding.
Gomez said the floors, scraps and paint on his apartment are not damaged and do not require repairs.
This building permit has been hung on the front door of the house and shows a description of the work being done on the building. (Robert Short / CBC)
“I think it’s wrong for landlords to be displacing people to increase profits, especially when we’re in a housing crisis right now,” Gomez said.
When CBC News contacted Ranjbar by phone for an interview, he said the lawyer advised him not to comment.
Vacant possession
Tammy Wohler, the managing attorney for Nova Scotia Legal Aid’s social justice office, said renewal attempts have become increasingly common since the ban was lifted.
Wohler said that in addition to having a building permit, a landlord who wants to renovate someone must prove to the Residential Leases Board that the tenant needs to move.
Wohler said renovations are becoming more frequent in the province since the ban was lifted. (Paul Poirier / CBC)
“Renovations need to be so extensive that vacant ownership is needed,” Wohler said. “So, for example, aesthetic renovations … don’t usually require a renovation. You know, we renovate our homes all the time.”
Forced to leave
Church Street property owners are listed in the public records as a numbered company, and a man named Mohammad Ranjbar is listed as president.
Marcus Ranjbar’s name does not appear in the property records or in the register of public limited companies, but he appears as the owner and his name appears as the owner in Gómez’s DR5 form.
When the building was purchased in December 2021, Gomez said steps were taken to force tenants to leave, including pressuring them to sign shorter, fixed-term leases.
On March 24, days after the province’s renovation ban was lifted, the building’s property administrator requested that tenants sign a DR5 form, indicating that high levels of renovation had been detected. radon in the building and that repairs had to be made.
Gomez consulted the city’s legal aid groups to confirm their rights and stayed.
Reforms began on May 31st. Then Gomez was granted what is known as Form J, for the termination of the lease and vacant possession for the reforms.
A hearing is scheduled for early August to determine if Gomez will be allowed to stay.
The building permit includes flooring, plinths, scraps and paint as interior work, but Gomez says his apartment does not need such repairs. (Robert Short / CBC)
Wohler said until the hearing, Gomez is still a tenant and has the same rights as before.
“The landlord-tenant relationship still exists,” he said. “Therefore, the tenant must continue to pay the rent, as is his obligation in the lease, and the landlord must also maintain and maintain the building.”
“Pressure tactics”
Gomez said its owner is not doing so and is holding back repairs for “sending a message.” When his toilet broke in June, he called for repairs. He said Ranjbar hung up on him and refused to fix the toilet.
Gomez hired a plumber from his pocket to repair the toilet. He then noticed a hole in the deck and a similar situation occurred.
“The owner sent me an outraged message saying I stay for my selfish reasons, that I am putting my own safety and that of his workers at risk by staying,” Gomez said.
Gomez says his owner is withholding maintenance on his unit while performing renovations. (Robert Short / CBC)
He said he has gotten to the point where he doesn’t feel comfortable in his home.
“It’s definitely been pretty stressful and I’m worried about what will happen next if pressure tactics continue to rise,” he said.
Gomez said he believes knowing their rights is their greatest protection and hopes their story will help others become more aware of their own rights.
“I definitely think information is power,” he said.